Elevated running -Video included!

This weekend, runners of different ages and skill levels came together for a myriad of races hosted by the 16th annual Estes Park Marathon and Half Marathon. The race weekend kicked off with a fun run Saturday with about 60 kids ages 4-12 participating in events each broken up by age at Bond Park.

Then on Sunday, with law enforcement and volunteers on alert, over 100 runners took off from Dao House at 6 a.m. for this year's marathon. The course took place on road shoulder, dirt trails and paved multi-use paths.

DJ Hummel of Westminster was the first marathon competitor to cross the finish line at the Estes Park Track and Field that morning. His time was 3:04:52. Hummel has competed in nearly 20 marathons, but the Estes Park Marathon is the first he has won. He said the route was tough but so beautiful, he forgot about the hills.

"It was really steep downhill," said Hummel. "Once we got to the other side of the lake, it turned and went uphill for about four miles, but it didn't look uphill."

The half marathon started at 7 a.m. at the Dao House and had about 350 runners participating. Anthony Schmalz came in second place according to his chip at 1:22:08. He also found the downhill on this particular course challenging, especially with the elevation.

"I love downhill but honestly, some of the thighs were burning like four miles in," said Schmalz. "It was brutal on the thighs. Then the hill at like 11 to 12 over by the lake was pretty tough. Then the elevation of course. Coming up to 7,500 ft is not easy."

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Race Director Belle Morris said this year's half marathon course was about 85 percent more downhill than previous years. She noted that running downhill is harder than most people think.

"They get to the finish line and realize their quads are hurting," said Morris. "Running downhill has its own physical challenge, and while some people get a little faster time overall, the race time is kind of equivalent. The runner might be a minute faster, but over time it can be just as strenuous as someone that has to climb uphill."

The 5k competitors were crossing the finish line at the same time as the half marathon runners, while marathon racers were beginning to trickle in. Jerry O'Donnell from Golden has run the Estes Park Marathon and Half Marathon's 5k several times over the years, to the point that he knows where the course is supposed to go. When he reached the junction by Lake Estes, he said his instinct was to turn but volunteer directed him towards the Estes Park Visitor Center instead.

"It looks like it was an extra four-tenths of a mile," said O'Donnell. He ran it, but called the situation unfortunate. "It makes it difficult to compete with your age groups when some, not everyone was sent that way, only a small number of us."

Morris confirmed about a handful of runners were directed towards the parking structure during the 5k. She said that runners are responsible for knowing the course ahead of time through maps and bright signage added to the courses.

"The bottom line is runners just can't start somewhere without not having some sort of understanding of the route," she said. "That can get them into trouble."

"We are really perfectionists and we take things really seriously," she said about herself and the race coordinators. "It just really upsets us if tehre's a problem because we just want it to be perfect."

Next year, she said there will be extra signage and the coordinators will work more closely with volunteers. For racers that have been in communication with the nonprofit with concerns have had their entries compensated.

"We apologize drastically," said Morris.

Ashton Portman is from St. Joseph, Missouri ran the 5k with a friend who was also from out of town. She said they were also sent on the extra loop, but that it was okay.

"We were just doing it for fun, and altitude was a challenge for us anyways," said Portman.

The first and second place racer results for the 26.2k, 13.5k, 10k and 5k are as follows:

DJ Hummel won the Estes Park Marathon. According to his chip, he came in at 03:04:52. Following him in was David Martinez at 03:07:40.

Geoff Tehrer's chip read 1:14:29, while Anthony Schmalz followed in at 1:22:08.

Andrew Berndt came in first place for the 10K with a time of 39:18, followed by Jake Fenn at 45:51.

Benjamin Baltz won the 5k race with a time of 27:09. Shawn Croissant came in second at 27:43.

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